strange canter

[Waikato Valuta]

Hi, I'm just haveing one problem with my horse at the moment. and i need to fix it fast as i am trying to see him. I dont want a quick fix solution but something so i can get a decent 20m circle of canter when a prospective buyer comes to see him.

The problem is he is just totaly unko in the canter. He canters on the wrong leg, disunited and swaps regualry. He also feels like he is doing a huge jump and grunts with every stride.

I have been lounging him and when he goes over a pole he hops onto the correct leg. but then is still the matter off getting him balanced.

thanks for you help. :D

[S_F_S]

have a look at YOUR riding, to make sure its not you who is unbalancing, perhaps by bending him the wrong way or dropping your weight to one side.

[Shiny McShine]

Some horses are just less coordinated than others I think. Some seem to grow out of it, while others are always a bit clumsy with their legs.

I used to ride a beautiful big Thoroughbred horse who had trouble picking up canter leads and would often run disunited in the canter. I found that he improved when I really over-emphisised the canter strike off, including my aids and his position into the canter. I would ask him to trot along very quitely in a travers position with his hindquarter to the inside track to encourage him to strike off with the inside hind foot in the canter transition. I would come back and repeat the transition until he did a smooth and correct try. I avoided long stretches of canter because I think he found it hard work to travel in the canter for long periods. He did improve a great deal but it did take quite a while, and he would revert back to his uncooridinated canter if the transitions where not properly prepared for or if he was rushed into them.

This doesn't exactly answer your question but perhaps it can give you some ideas of how to approach the problem. Regards, Shiny.
:)